Hero son saves dad’s life while he is driving in Boythorpe

Lucy Grosvenor

A quick-thinking seven-year-old stopped the car he was travelling in from crashing when his dad had an epileptic fit at the wheel.

Jamie Smith had just picked up one of his sons from Mound Road when he said he felt sick, moments later the 37-year-old had his first seizure of undiagnosed epilepsy.

His son, Zac, took the car out of gear and slammed on the handbrake before running to get help from his mum Lauren Smith, 26.

She said: “I don’t think he realises just how important his actions were.

“My little boy saved his and his dad’s lives because the car was driving along a road with cars parked on both sides and heading towards Derby Road which is really busy, I don’t want to think about would could have happened.” Jamie was taken to hospital after the fit, which happened at the end of October, and tests found he had epilepsy.

“I can’t believe he managed to stop the car,” said Lauren, “he keeps shrugging off what he has done and asks if he is a real life superhero, which he really is.”

Zac’s auntie has now nominated the youngster for a Pride of Britain Award so everyone knows how brave he was.

Lauren added: “Parents are meant to protect their children not the other way around, I can’t believe how lucky everyone was.”